LYNN — ‘Tis the season … still.
The gifts may be opened and the wrapping still strewn about the living room, but as far as high school sports, Christmas is an extended season that last throughout the week.
And the Lynn area is home to three holiday tournaments. The highlight is the Walter J. Boverini basketball tournament, which taps off Wednesday at Lynn Classical’s gym.
Boverini, a longtime teacher and coach in the Lynn school system before rising up to become the majority leader of the Massachusetts State Senate, died in 2008. But the tournament was established before his death.
Boverini was a product of Lynn’s “Brickyard” section, and grew up on the corner of Blossom and Alley Streets. A Lynn Classical graduate, he served in the U.S. Army’s 8th Air Corps in World War II, flying 35 combat missions over Europe.
After the war, Boverini went to Boston College, where he played football alongside of on the G.I. Bill, class of 1950. There, he played varsity football with the future NFL star Art Donovan, who was his friend, roommate, and best man at his wedding.
After college, Boverini returned to Lynn where he spent an 18-year career as a teacher, coach, vice principal, and mentor at all of Lynn’s High Schools: St. Mary’s, Lynn Classical, Lynn English and Lynn Tech. He always said that “Youth is our greatest natural resource.” Boverini is also a member of the Classical and English halls of fame.
Former Lynn English basketball coach Buzzy Barton recalls that Boverini bought him his first baseball glove so he could play the sport.
The tournament gets under way at 1:30 when the St. Mary’s girls basketball team takes on English. The boys game between the same two schools, both of whom are off to hot starts this winter, will follow at 3 p.m.
The Classical boys game against Lynn Tech will follow at 4:30, with the Rams’ girls game against Swampscott serving as the nightcap (6).
After a day in between so that the teams can practice for their next opponents, the girls and boys consolation games will be at 1:30 and 3 on Friday, with the championship games at 4:30 (boys) and 6 (girls).
St. Mary’s is currently on a two-year streak of having won both the boys and girls tournaments.
Today, the Kasabuski Christmas Classical gets under way at the Kasabuski Rink in Saugus, with Winthrop at North Reading opening the show at 10 a.m.
The other local game, which begins at 4 p.m., will pit Saugus against Lynnfield.
The tournament’s consolation (10 and 12) and championship games (2 and 4) will be Wednesday.
Also Wednesday is the first round of the Lynn Christmas Tournament at Connery Rink. Latin Academy will face off against Northeast Regional at 4 p.m. and Lynn will play Swampscott in the nightcap (6). The consolation (4) and final (6) are the next night, also at Connery.